


Prelude To The Holidays

by Jenn_Calaelen



Category: Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
Genre: Further Adventures, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-06
Updated: 2012-12-06
Packaged: 2017-11-20 11:43:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/585044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jenn_Calaelen/pseuds/Jenn_Calaelen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>At the beginning of the holidays, Bridget is determined not to be left out again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Prelude To The Holidays

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Elennare](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elennare/gifts).



> Beta read by El Staplador. Any remaining mistakes are totally my fault.
> 
> Written as a Yuletide treat because I liked your prompts :)

Bridget Walker, promoted from Ship's Baby to Look-Out sat on the edge of the cliff at Darien . She could hear the campfire hissing behind her. She glanced around to see if the kettle was boiling yet. It was not, but Susan was already buttering and slicing bread ready for tea. Sinbad was trying to help her, dipping his whiskers in the butter. Bridget looked back out over the lake towards the Amazon river. Still no sail. Surely the Amazons would have known their allies had arrived yesterday evening; surely they would come sailing over to Holly Howe today. Bridget glanced down into the bay - she could see the others getting Swallow ready outside the boathouse - stretching out her sail, checking the flag and ropes and so on.

Still no sail. She lay down, out of sight of the camp, and kept watch for enemies. They were hiding in this bay while they mended damage that natives had caused to their ship. Somewhere out there native war canoes would be looking for them. She looked towards Rio, but none of the natives seemed to be coming in the right direction. They must have found the gear the explorers had abandoned as a distraction. Maybe they were fighting over it. Could it start a war between the tribes and allow the explorers to slip away back to the coast? Their ships would be waiting to bring news of their discoveries back to Europe, bringing them all fame and fortune as well as the treasure they had already found already. 

The others had explored there last summer. She scowled slightly at the memory – Mother had said she couldn't go until she could swim properly, although she had already swum better than Roger had when he was allowed to camp on Wildcat Island. She sighed, wiping her eyes. She wasn't crying. Even this year she had been left behind while the others sailed on the _Sea Bear_. She was always going to be the youngest. Yet at least she could have adventures. She thought back to the Easter holidays which she had spent with a school friend, as a consolation for missing the cruise. June had been going on about how much fun she always had and how Bridget could ride with her and go to Pony Club activities. Yet it had all seemed so dull to her; everything was so very organised and closely supervised by adults, lots of rallies with instruction and several 'fun' activities, like mounted games and races. Nothing like being an explorer or a savage! However, it had given her a chance to pass her D test.

She looked back towards the Amazon river - maybe their reinforcements would be in sight, but there was nothing. She glanced towards Wildcat Island and saw two sailing boats under way. She jumped to her feet.

"Susan! I see them. Coming from Wildcat Island," she yelled, before pelting down from Darien towards the jetty.

"Bring them up here. Tea should be ready by then," Susan called after her.

As she approached the others, she gasped, "I can see sails. One white, the other red. They'll be here soon."

"I wonder what plans Nancy has come up with for this summer," said Titty.

"Are you ready to camp again, Bridgie?" John asked.

"Yes. Can we go today?"

"No. It will have to wait until Mother and Susan have bought supplies," Titty replied.

Bridget ran down to the end of the jetty, sat down, and taking her shoes off dangled her feet into the water.

"I wonder if Dick has heard anything more about the Divers," Roger said quietly.

Bridget decided to pretend she had not heard - it was not fair of them to keep having adventures without her.

"Swallows ahoy!" came Nancy's cheerful shout as Amazon sailed into the bay.

Bridget scrambled up in time to catch the painter that Peggy threw across to her, and made Amazon fast to the jetty. Roger caught Scarab's, thrown by Dot.

The others scrambled ashore, and soon they had all joined Susan seated around the campfire on Darien.

"So, Captain Nancy, what plans for this summer?" John asked.

"Not much decided yet. We've been waiting for you to arrive. We've made camp on Wildcat Island. However, it seems like the first thing to do would be to assign crews. Five was already crowding _Swallow_ last year. How would one of your crew feel about jumping ship to _Amazon_?"

Bridget jumped up. "I will," she said without hesitation.

Nancy glanced at John and Susan. John nodded.

"Provided you behave, Bridget. You have to obey orders and not do anything dangerous," Susan said.

Bridget nodded, trying to hide a momentary sulkiness - Susan still seemed to be in a native mood.

"And you have to keep an eye on her, Peggy."

Peggy nodded. "With three crews we could have another war of some sort, although we beat Captain Flint too easily last time, or more exploration."

"We could try and do Kanchenjunga properly this time. All of us sleep up there, and come back down past the source of the Amazon," Nancy said.

"We would have to carry most of the supplies for a few days, at least as far as the base camp," said Peggy.

"Anyway, let's finish tea and then set sail," Roger said.

Everyone quickly finished drinking and put out the fire.

"We can wash the mugs later," Susan said, as she poured the last of the water from the kettle onto the fire.

They all ran down to the lake. While the others quickly climbed aboard, Bridget waited, then said,

“Permission to come aboard?” 

Nancy nodded. Bridget stepped down carefully into _Amazon_ , sitting down next to the centreboard case. She watched as Nancy and Peggy quickly made sail and caught up with the other ships. As soon as Amazon was well clear of the bay Nancy said,

"Come and take the tiller, if you want."

Bridget carefully moved down to the stern, picking her way around the centreboard case, and took the tiller, concentrating on trying to keep a straight wake. She knew that she was not doing as well as Nancy, but that she was better than she had been last summer - there had been quite a lot of sailing on the rivers for her during term time whenever her parents had time.

"Very good. You certainly count as an Able Seaman this year, Bridget." Nancy said, looking back over their passage.

Bridget grinned. It was going to be a good summer.

  



End file.
